Covid-19 and Pregnancy: A fateful mix

We are approaching two years of living in the COVID-19 pandemic. After a slow start to the research into this special group, there is mounting evidence that pregnant women are more vulnerable than the general population to severe disease. Having COVID while pregnant considerably increases the risk of dying or having several pregnancy-related complications. Yet despite a growing number of studies demonstrating that the COVID vaccines are safe during pregnancy, only about 32% of pregnant people aged 18 to 49 in the U.S. are fully vaccinated (September 25 data point). This figure is especially concerning now that “some data suggest the Delta variant might cause more severe illness than previous variants in unvaccinated people,” as noted by the CDC. On September 29, the CDC issued a health advisory strongly recommending COVID-19 vaccination "either before or during pregnancy."

A recent study involving over 700 pregnant women with COVID found pregnant women were at

  • 76 % higher risk of developing pre-eclampsia (a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure),

  • 59% higher risk of preterm birth;

  • five times more likely to be admitted to an ICU ;

  • 22 times more likely to die than those without COVID.

Research has also determined which risk factors make pregnant individuals even more susceptible to severe COVID: employed as health care workers or had underlying medical conditions—including obesity, chronic lung disease, chronic hypertension or diabetes—were at increased risk (which is the same for all people).

Vaccines have been shown to be very safe. Data from more than 3,900 pregnant women who received these vaccines indicated that they did not have increased rates of miscarriages, birth defects or preterm births. And another analysis also did not show an increased risk among more than 2,000 vaccinated pregnant people (i.e., vaccinated before becoming pregnant). The claim circulating on the internet that the vaccine causes infertility has been shown to be entirely unsubstantiated. The most recent ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) advisory now recommends that all eligible people receive a COVID vaccine, including pregnant and lactating individuals.

There is evidence that some of the protective benefits of the vaccine are being transferred to the baby when breastfeeding. The same is, of course, true for antibodies in the mother’s bloodstream during pregnancy: the baby develops the same defenses. Parents instinctively want to protect their babies. For the parents to get vaccinated is the most powerful way of protecting themselves and their babies from the novel coronavirus.

This summary is based on reports published in Scientific American and other publications.
Holger Caban